The Dutch government will host a special international tribunal tasked with prosecuting Russia’s top political and military leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, Prime Minister Rob Jetten has confirmed, following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on 3 July.
Although other international courts are able to prosecute many alleged Russian war crimes, none currently has jurisdiction over the crime of aggression — the offence of unlawfully launching a war, first established during the post-Second World War trials of Nazi leaders.
As such, a separate tribunal is required.
“The Russian aggression against Ukraine cannot go unpunished. That is why we need to establish a special tribunal,” Jetten wrote on X.
He also confirmed that the Netherlands will host the court, following a formal offer submitted by The Hague in October 2025.
Zelensky pointed out that the tribunal would make it possible to prosecute Russia’s senior political and military figures specifically for the crime of aggression itself, rather than solely for the atrocities committed during the war.
“The decision will make it possible to hold Russia’s senior political and military leadership to account specifically for the crime of aggression, not merely for its consequences,” he wrote on Telegram.
The Netherlands was the only country to volunteer to host the tribunal.
Regardless, the Hague was widely regarded as the natural location, as it is already home to both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
Preparations for the tribunal are already underway. In January 2026, the European Union began financing a team based in The Hague to carry out the groundwork needed before the court becomes operational. The city also hosts the Register of Damage caused by Russia, which documents losses suffered by Ukraine and is expected to underpin future compensation claims.
Jetten noted, however, that the Netherlands’ role as host is contingent on several conditions outlined in the government’s decision.
Among the concerns raised is the possibility that the Netherlands could end up bearing a disproportionate share of the tribunal’s initial costs while arrangements on financial responsibilities are still being finalised, as well as a greater burden for ongoing expenses if too few countries ultimately participate.
Meanwhile, 36 countries and the European Union formally endorsed the agreement establishing the special tribunal at the Council of Europe summit in Moldova on 15 May. By joining the initiative, participating states also commit to contributing financially.
The Ukrainian government expects the tribunal to become fully operational in 2027.
